Channel 10’s Dave Munsey retiring
Now 69, popular weather anchor has been at KSAZ over four decades
One of the Valley’s most well-known personalities, Channel 10 (KSAZ) main weather anchor Dave Munsey has announced that he will retire after 42 years at the station.
“Dave is part of the fabric of this community,” Doug Bannard, vice president of news, said in a release. “Over the last 41 years he has truly made an impact on the lives of people living all over the Valley. We will miss Dave, his sense of humor and his dedication and wish him the best as he starts this exciting new chapter of his life.”
Munsey’s 42-year run at Channel 10 is the longest stretch at one channel for any news personality currently on the air in the Valley. But besides sheer longevity, Munsey, a former disc jockey, is also known for his watersafety campaign, in which he reminds viewers to “watch your kids around water.” That emerged as his catchphrase, and he has devoted much off-camera time to giving talks on water safety and handing out pamphlets and coloring books.
The long-running campaign wasn’t merely about public relations for Munsey. A friend of his lost a child in a drowning accident. The child who died had been supervised by another youngster. Then the first person who reached the child didn’t know how to administer CPR.
“So many people’s hearts get broken and they will never be repaired again,” Munsey told The Republic in 2015. “It’s the saddest thing in the world to lose a child, and it often happens over some stupid little thing that didn’t need to be done, like a parent went to answer the phone. That’s one thing I’d like to wipe out.”
Munsey always has projected an easy, unforced middle-America warmth. He hails from North Dakota and easily connected with viewers. Some were drawn to his folksy humor; others to his immaculate personal style. With his crisp white shirts and everpresent high-end cowboy boots — he once teased former Channel 10 anchor Rick D’Amico about wearing “cheap boots” — Munsey always cut a distinctive figure. But, never an imposing one.
“For the most part, people are good to me,” Munsey said in 2015. “When someone from TV walks in the room, people may go. ‘That’s soand-so over there.’ I walk into the room and it’s, ‘Hi Dave! How are you doing?’ People are comfortable with me. After all these years, that makes me feel good.”
Munsey, who will turn 70 on Sept. 20, announced the news Thursday on the station’s 5 p.m. broadcast. His last day will be June 1.
The station has tapped Kristy Siefkin, weekend weather anchor, to take over for Munsey upon his retirement.
“Dave is part of the fabric of this community. Over the last 41 years he has truly made an impact.”